Whalley Little League team represents Canada at World Series this year
Get your peanuts and cracker jacks ready, Surrey’s Whalley Little League team made it to the World Series! This team’s road to the World series was quite the ride and every step of the way they showed good sportsmanship and hard work that is part of the Whalley legacy, Surrey’s community, and what Canada takes pride in.
Rooted in the heart of Surrey, Whalley Little League started as a simple plot of land donated to the community for local kids to play on, and has grown into an internationally recognized organization. Founded as a baseball organization in 1958, Whalley has built up a reputation and prides itself on hard work and commitment. These values are evident in the young team and has taken them all the way to this international competition. This is the fifth time that Whalley has represented Canada in the World Series!
The Whalley team became national champs after going undefeated in the national tournament held in Quebec. Winning all four of their games, Whalley ended their national championship by defeating Glace Bay, Nova Scotia 11 – 0. Bound for Williamsport, Pennsylvania the team had undeniably earned their spot in the World Series.
However, the winning streak ended once the World Series started. Whalley was defeated by Panama in their first game. But they didn’t let that get their spirits down, in true Canadian fashion they picked themselves up for their game against Spain. Another loss would mean that Whalley was going home. They needed all the fighting spirit they could muster as the game dragged on to the bottom of the tenth inning. Fighting to stay in the competition, Whalley pulled through defeating Spain 2 – 1 in a heart pounding game that meant they would continue on in the world series.
But Whalley wasn’t out of the woods yet! They would need to win their next game against Mexico to stay alive in the world series. The team went in with good spirits, enjoying their last win and optimistic about the future game. Their positive attitude paid off, and they remained in the tournament defeating Mexico 6 – 4.
Whalley then went to face Puerto Rico, where unfortunately their World Series journey came to an end. One game from the international championships the Whalley team faced a 9 – 4 loss, that meant they would not continue on in the World Series.
But even though they lost, the team had won so much more than ballgames. Whalley had the support of the whole country behind them as went on their journey through the World Series, bringing moments of joy and celebration to everyone. With dedicated coaches and teammates the World Series has been a memorable experience for everyone, especially for us here in Surrey. Even without coming home as world champions, these boys are champs of all Canadian hearts!